Red Raiders Fall to Oklahoma 5-2

Kolbey Carpenter hit a three-run homer to give the Oklahoma Sooners all of the offense it needed as the Sooners evened the Big 12 Series with a win over the No.10 Texas Tech Red Raiders 5-2 Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman.

Carpenter hit the home run off of Tech starting left-handed pitcher Cameron Smith (2-2) who took the loss . Smith allowed three runs - all earned - on six hits in six innings with four strikeouts and a walk. Smith made his fifth straight start going five innings or more.

Sophomore Alec Hansen (3-2)struck out 10 and earned the win in his first career complete game.

Hansen allowed only three hits to the Red Raiders (16-7, 1-1).

Tech grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth.

Freshman Tanner Gardner singled to left, stole second ,and advanced to third on a sacrifice  by Ryan Long. Hansen then uncorked a wild pitch allowing  Gardner to score.

Fellow freshman Michael Davis then walked and advanced to third on a Tim Proudfoot single.  The hit extended Proudfoot’s hitting streak to seven games matching a career high. Hansen then unleashed his second wild pitch of the inning allowing Davis to score.

That is all Tech would get off Hansen while he retired 12-of-13 batters the rest of the game with the only base hit going to junior Tyler Neslony (single up the middle) in the ninth.

Carpenter's three-run home run over the left-field wall in the bottom half of the inning gave the Sooners  a 3-2 advantage their first lead of the series.

Carpenter finished the game 4-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. OU second baseman Kyle Mendenhall went 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

Junior Dalton Brown relieved Smith  in the seventh and allowed two runs- one earned-  on two hits and a wild pitch.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Jacob Patterson (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB) and junior right-handed pitcher Matt Custred (1.0 IP, 2 SO) posted scoreless innings to shut the door.

Tech and OU will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch. The game will be televised on FOX Sports Southwest/FOX College Sports - Central.

Two Tech relievers posted scoreless outings, including freshman left-handed pitcher Jacob Patterson (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB) and junior right-handed pitcher Matt Custred (1.0 IP, 2 SO).

Tech and OU will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday, March 22 with a 1 p.m. first pitch at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The game will be televised on FOX Sports Southwest/FOX College Sports - Central.